islamophobia

jmx009

Whats up with Islamophobia? Is that for real or is it just an excuse to discriminate a certain group of people?

hivizman

jmx009 wrote: »

Whats up with Islamophobia? Is that for real or is it just an excuse to discriminate a certain group of people?

Islamophobia can be thought of as a fear or hatred of Islam as a religion, of Muslims as individuals and as groups, and of Muslim culture and society in a wide sense. The use of the suffix 'phobia' implies that this fear or hatred is irrational, but strong critics of Islam would consider their hatred of Islam as rationally based.

A good explanation of Islamophobia was provided by the Runnymede Trust in a report Islamophobia: a challenge for us all (published in 1997 - for a summary, follow this link). This identifies eight aspects to Islamophobia:

1) Islam is seen as a monolithic bloc, static and unresponsive to change.
2) Islam is seen as separate and 'other'. It does not have values in common with other cultures, is not affected by them and does not influence them.
3) Islam is seen as inferior to the West. It is seen as barbaric, irrational, primitive and sexist.
4) Islam is seen as violent, aggressive, threatening, supportive of terrorism and engaged in a 'clash of civilisations'.
5) Islam is seen as a political ideology and is used for political or military advantage.
6) Criticisms made of the West by Islam are rejected out of hand.
7) Hostility towards Islam is used to justify discriminatory practices towards Muslims and exclusion of Muslims from mainstream society.
8) Anti-Muslim hostility is seen as natural or normal.

Islamophobia can be a manifestation of racial prejudice. In Muslim-minority countries, many Muslims are members of particular ethnic groups (for example, South Asians in the UK, North Africans in France, Turks in Germany), so fear or hatred of Muslims can be rooted in dislike of particular ethnicities as much as (or even more than) dislike of Islam as a religion. Things are complicated in that many of the features that Islamophobes object to are not inherent in Islam but more likely to be aspects of particular cultures that happen to have Islam as their religion.

oceanclub

hivizman wrote: »

Islamophobia can be thought of as a fear or hatred of Islam as a religion, of Muslims as individuals and as groups, and of Muslim culture and society in a wide sense. The use of the suffix 'phobia' implies that this fear or hatred is irrational, but strong critics of Islam would consider their hatred of Islam as rationally based.

A good explanation of Islamophobia was provided by the Runnymede Trust in a report Islamophobia: a challenge for us all (published in 1997 - for a summary, follow this link). This identifies eight aspects to Islamophobia:

1) Islam is seen as a monolithic bloc, static and unresponsive to change.
2) Islam is seen as separate and 'other'. It does not have values in common with other cultures, is not affected by them and does not influence them.
3) Islam is seen as inferior to the West. It is seen as barbaric, irrational, primitive and sexist.
4) Islam is seen as violent, aggressive, threatening, supportive of terrorism and engaged in a 'clash of civilisations'.
5) Islam is seen as a political ideology and is used for political or military advantage.
6) Criticisms made of the West by Islam are rejected out of hand.
7) Hostility towards Islam is used to justify discriminatory practices towards Muslims and exclusion of Muslims from mainstream society.
8) Anti-Muslim hostility is seen as natural or normal.

Islamophobia can be a manifestation of racial prejudice. In Muslim-minority countries, many Muslims are members of particular ethnic groups (for example, South Asians in the UK, North Africans in France, Turks in Germany), so fear or hatred of Muslims can be rooted in dislike of particular ethnicities as much as (or even more than) dislike of Islam as a religion. Things are complicated in that many of the features that Islamophobes object to are not inherent in Islam but more likely to be aspects of particular cultures that happen to have Islam as their religion.

While I agree with much, if not most, of the above, it should also be added that some legitimate criticism of the belief system of Islam has attempted to be shut down using Islamophobia as an excuse. (I note that there's 1000 results for "catholophobia" on Google, looks like that belief system is getting in on the act too.....)

P.

hivizman

oceanclub wrote: »

While I agree with much, if not most, of the above, it should also be added that some legitimate criticism of the belief system of Islam has attempted to be shut down using Islamophobia as an excuse. (I note that there's 1000 results for "catholophobia" on Google, looks like that belief system is getting in on the act too.....)

P.

Yes, this sort of tactic happens in many contexts. As I mentioned in my previous post, the suffix "phobia" suggests that criticism of something is irrational, and by implication is therefore not worth responding to. Moreover, comments that many would see as rather innocuous are blown up into hostile criticism, even "phobia", by self-appointed defenders of a particular practice or belief system.

Thanks for the info on "Catholophobia". There are 15,800 entries on Google for "Christophobia", which would be a more general fear or dislike of Christianity. This is overwhelmed by Google's 542,000 entries for "Islamophobia".

Freiheit

My infraction issued by Irish Convert as well was for in his words "Islam bashing", which wasn't my intention at all. I simply quoted passages of the Koran which concerned me.Think the term phobia is overused in attempt to sully and discredit rational as well as irrational criticisms. My next door neighbours are Muslims, lovely people, the very best people I could ask for to live along side, but my concern about Islam as a religion is rationaly based for reasons outlined by the Runnymede Trust. I resent attempts to deem that phobic or Islam bashing.

But look I think every minority is subject to a certain degree of irrational phobia as well. As a transgender identifying person I'm well used to irrational fear , that's phobia and it exists in relation to almost every unknown or little known. No doubt Islamophobia in this sense does exist too. The Irish were subject to much phobia, caricatures in 19th century British media illustrate this.

If we can all prove that we can get along in peace, which is what 99% of people want then phobia will hopefully decline. But it's important not to lump rational concern with irrational phobia together.